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CHAPTER START---
---Horizon Tower, 2 AM...
"Where the hell is it," Tokoyami mutters as he searches Horizon's bedroom.
He was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, his usual sleepwear, but currently, both he and Dark Shadow were searching the room.
The shadow creature was busy inspecting Horizon's walk-in closet while Tokoyami was checking the cabinets in the room.
Suddenly Tokoyami receives some information through Dark Shadow that surprises him.
He walks over to the closet with a curious look, then steps in to see more than half the space occupied by women's clothes.
"This isn't what I expected," Tokoyami mutters as he retracts Dark Shadow."Yo Tokoyami! You still in here?!" Shinso calls out from the bedroom.
"I'm in here," Tokoyami says as he walks back into the bedroom, seeing Shinso in casual clothes, sitting at the edge of Horizon's bed with a large bowl of popcorn.
"Why were you in his closet?" Shinso eats some popcorn.
"I was looking for the sword, I couldn't find it in here anywhere."
"Oh, did nobody show you?" Shinso sets down the bowl and walks over to the wall above Horizon's backboard.
"Show me what?"
Shinso simply taps a spot on the wall and then places his hand on it, and seconds later a hidden compartment opens.
Tokoyami's eyes widen as he sees Scalpel resting comfortably in the hidden compartment, alongside a collection of 18 Gold Ingots.
"What in the world?" Tokoyami looks both amazed and confused. "Why was this necessary?"
Shinso removes the sword and places it on the bed before grabbing a Gold Ingot, straining slightly to hold it before tossing it with both hands over to Tokoyami.
"Hngh!" Tokoyami catches it and stares down at it.
"Horizon keeps this stuff here 'Just in case', whatever that means," Shinso says. "Your biometrics are in the tower database so you can open it too. I guess he expected us to explain this stuff eventually, but we kind of forgot."
"Explain that he keeps gold in the tower?" Tokoyami asks as Dark Shadow gently returns the Gold Ingot.
"Not just that," Shinso sits on the bed eating his popcorn. "Horizon tower was broken into a few months ago, Horizon's...lady friend, got hurt, pretty badly."
"That explains the women's clothes in his closet," Tokoyami says. "So all that stuff about him not partaking in relationships?"
"That's just crap he says for the camera, sells the whole 'True Hero' image better. Honestly, he's played around with Momo and Jiro for a bit, but he's been pretty consistent with Ryuko since they first met."
"Ryuko, so the rumors about him and the Dragon Hero were true."
"No, not that Ryuko, the other Ryuko, Pixie-Bob, from the summer camp last year."
"Wow, I never would have guessed that, she always seemed so sweet, and he's---"
"Yeah, but she's got a whole other side to her that he tends to bring out, it's kind of annoying how nice they go together," Shinso admits. "But yeah the tower got attacked, she was here, and the issue got resolved."
"What does that mean?"
"It means all we get to know is that 'the issue got resolved,' and now Horizon Tower has more security and some other emergency systems," Shinso seals up the secret compartment and gets up. "As part of team Horizon, emergency procedures fall onto you as well."
"I don't see how the gold plays a part in that," Tokoyami admits as he follows Shinso out of the room. "If Horizon ever gives us the word, we grab the few people we care about the most and ditch Japan."
Tokoyami chuckles, "That's absurd, what villain could ever threaten Japan in such a way?"
"I don't think that plan is because of villains," Shinso says as they enter the living room. "Do remember who the leader of our team is..."
"Oh, right," Tokoyami walks over and sits on the couch, drawing the sword and inspecting it.
Shinso sits beside him and begins searching for a movie to watch as Sero is on the floor wracking his brain to finish his Project for Ms. Midnight.
On the other couch, Juzo is lying across it completely asleep after writing and sending Horizon their team report after last night's raids.
"Can't one of you jerks just let me copy your project?" Sero asks, again.
"You're almost done anyway, just hurry up so we can start the movie," Shinso says.
"We kicked so much ass and then we have to come back here and do homework, this sucks," Sero says.
"Yeah yeah, get over it, at least we have tomorrow off so you don't have to train," Shinso says. "Aren't the girls coming here tomorrow?"
"Why else do you think I'm trying to get this done tonight, I won't have any time later."
"Well while you three are having quality time with your girlfriends, I'll be mastering the blade," Tokoyami says, methodically moving Scalpel through the air.
Sero gives him an unimpressed look, "you do know everyone here trained to use a sword, right?"
"Wait, what?" Tokoaymi looks between them.
"Ryuko too, she's actually better than Juzo and I," Shinso says.
That knocks the spirit out of Tokoyami for a moment, "well, I'll be the only one aside from Horizon who uses it regularly in combat, so I need more practice than all of you."
"Why do you even want to use a sword, can't you become a giant or something?" Shinso asks as Sero gets back to work.
"I'm learning the technique, it will pair nicely with Dark Shadow, after I master hardening my Quirk, like my armor, or in this case, blades."
"And he likes swords," Sero says without looking at them.
"That too..."
After a few more minutes Juzo's phone alarm goes off and he jolts awake.
"Turn on the Global Hero News Network!" he says before opening his eyes fully.
"Alright, jeez," Shinso pauses the movie and turns on the GHNN Channel.
The screen shows a gorgeous Japanese reporter, but behind her is the Eiffel Tower in the distance, basking in the rays of the setting sun.
"We come to you live from Paris," the reporter says. "As top Pro Heroes from all around the world make their way through the plaza for the International Heroes Conference.
Held annually, this year Frace won the bidding war to host this prestigious event, and now the Pro Heroes are showing up in force to represent the good of this world."
"Oh good, we didn't miss her," Juzo says.
"Miss who?" Sero asks.
"Her," Juzo says as Star and Stripe gently flies into the plaza for everyone to see. Seeing her wearing her usual Hero Costume with a bit more flare added for the occasion, he can't help but voice his thoughts, "Do you guys think Horizon could take her?"
"Well, she's a lot more muscular than his usual women, and she's barely a hair shorter than him, so I don't know about that," Sero says. "But if you mean in a fight, yeah I'd bet on him."
"I wouldn't," Juzo says. "I mean he said as much, that's why he's currently working on his incomplete Quirk Awakening after all. After he perfects it she won't stand a chance though."
"We don't even know what her Quirk does," Tokoyami says.
Simon nods, "From the looks of it, her Quirk can do anything, with even fewer restrictions than Horizon, but not all of her effects are permanent. Her ability to manipulate the world is more versatile in some regards, but his are more absolute."
"If two Mystery Class people fight, won't it come down to whichever one snaps their fingers first?" Sero asks. "I mean isn't their whole thing being able to do anything, so they could just stop the other person's heart instantly."
"I don't think it works quite like that," Juzo says. "A year ago Horizon said she would beat him with absolute certainty, now he believes the outcome is more balanced."
"Well, they've got to meet eventually, so then we can just ask him," Shinso says.
After twenty more minutes of Pro Heroes from across the world arriving at the event, the channel suddenly cuts to a different broadcast.
"Breaking news!" a reporter says as live footage of Washington DC plays in the background. "As you can see the Whitehouse is under siege by a group calling themselves The Evoluationaries!"
"Holy shit," Juzo mutters. "The first time Star' leaves the United States since she became a Pro Hero and they instantly attack the Whitehouse."
"This group has now confirmed that they have been responsible for many attacks all across the United States Of America, including the failed nuclear strike against Manhattan just over one year ago!
Their leader has now revealed himself to be John Sev! But the world will know him as the United States Former #1 Overall Pro Hero: Optics!"
"No way, he's a villain!" Sero says in disbelief.
"He is currently personally leading the attack on the Whitehouse after uploading his declaration of war against what he deems the 'improper and artificial order of mankind', and sadly, he is far from being alone.
Hundreds of Pro Heroes all across America had secretly rallied to his cause, causing a nationwide Pro Hero civil war to erupt..."
"Wait a minute," Tokoyami says. "Why would they even bother with this, won't Star and Stripe just fly back to America and put an end to this?"
"Think about it," Juzo says. "They waited for her to leave, the head villain is a former #1 Pro Hero in America, so he must have known she was leaving somehow, and he's personally targeting the Whitehose, where the president still is."
"He wants to take the president hostage," Tokoyami says.
"You're thinking too small," Sero says. "Star' is Mystery Class, do you think one hostage would be enough to stop her or Horizon?"
"No, you'd have to...to...oh god," Tokoyami comes to the horrific realization.
"They plan to get control of the nukes and hold the country hostage," Shinso says...
END CHAPTER---